The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1887-05-19
MY TWIN BROTHER.

When / arose on the morning of my
twentieth birthday, and nodded mer-
rily to my own reflection in the glass,
the bright young face that laughed
back at me was that of a handsome,
happy, and very fortunate girl.
"Good-morning, Miss Lydia Searle,
said. ''And if all goes we'll with us,
you won't be Miss Lydia Searle at an
this time next year, but Mrs. Harry
Hatton instead"
wedding-day. l was happy as l was
whose bride,I was so soon to become
with all a young girls warm untried
affection.
''Better than anyone in the world
but Tom" | thought. ''And surely
nobody ever could or ought to be
dearer to me than TOm,"
Tom was my twin brother. The
usual strong affection existing be-
tween twins was exceptionally power
full in our case-from circumstances.
One of us was born strong and
robust, and the other frail and small.
Notwithstanding my sex, l was the
favored one by nature, while Tom
was the weakly twin.
That was the first of his misfortune,
which naturally gave him claim on
me, and at the same time attached
him to me and made him cling to me
as heartier, manlier boy would not
have done. The second misfortune
was that he resembled our father
Poor fellow! As if he could help
that And yet Uncle Elliot resented it
in him just as if he had been to blame
for it.
Not a fraction of my money shall
60 to this second Tom Searle," he used
to say.
And he kept his word. He had
adopted us at poor mothers death.
Our father had died years before. He
gave lis both a good education, and
got Tom Il position in a bank; but
when he died-iust a year before that
twentieth birthday of mine-I was his
sole heircss.
1t grieved me terribly. / loved Tom
better far than myself, and would
have shared anything with him; but
he was proud, poor dear, and wouldn't
hear of such thing.
So the best / could do was to spend
as much money upon him as possible,
and lend him all he wanted to use.
He had no objection to that, because,
as he would say:
''Some of these days, when I'm
partner in the bank, I'll pay it all back
again, Lyddy."
And, of course, it was quite prob
able that some day he would be part
ner, since l was about to be married
to the bankers only son and heir.
| was puzzled sometimes to know
what Tom did with 50 much money.
He had ''speculations on hand" he
tOId me. 1 thought that perhaps he
was rather extravagant, toO-perhaps
somewhat inclined to be wild.
''He is SO young and SO handsome" T"
thought.
] was always making excuses for
him to myself; but, of course, COM
nonsense taught me that if he would
be steadier, and attend to business
better, his chances of promotion at
the bank would be improved.
As / thought of him on that birth
day morning-of course, it was his
birthday, too-the face in the. glass
ceased to smile. and a new anxiety
crept into my thoughts. was think
ing of last night.
Tom had acted very strangely.
had lain awake a long time thinking
of it last night, and vague uneasi-
ness smOte me as l remembered it
now. What could have allied him.
He had come in, at about ten
o'clock, to the little parlor where
Harry and were sitting together. and
had remained with us, restless, agi-
tated, nervous, and showing so plainly
that he wished to see me alone, that
presently Harry, half vexed, half
amused, took the hint and left us.
And then he asked me for money.
No trifling sum either. He implored
me, almost wildly, to "give him six
hundred pounds, then and there, for
Gods sake"
Hetalmost took my breath away.
had mo such sum of money in the
house, of course, nor could get it on
such short notice. My fortune con-
sisted of real estate, from which de-
rived a moderate income, and a few
thousands in ready money, which
what with Toms extravaganza, and
my own preparations for my marriage,
were nearly gone.
Quite aghast at his agitation, as
well as at his request, explained to
him the utter impossibility of COM
pliance. He said not word, but
dropped into seat, and sat looking
at me as if stupetied.
Every vestige of color had gone
from his fair handsome face, and the
delicate clear cut features looked hag-
gard and careworn. A pang shot
through my heart as l saw his distress.
i ceased to care or wonder what the
money was wanted for. l knelt down
beside him.
''Tll get it for you tomorrow"
said, ''if | have to mortgage my prop
erty. Don't despair; only wait till to-
morrow, dear"
AS my hand touched his he started
and looked down at me. He was
never very strong or brave-never fit
to battle with trouble. 1t seemed to
have crushed him now; tears fell from
his eyes upon my face.
Never mind!' he moaned. Poor
Lyddy! Poor girlr' he patted my hand
fondly 81 know you'd give it to me
if you could. All, I've been bad
brother to you, dear. Say you for
give me to-nightr'
And of course l said so-said SO
weeping. His manner distressed nre
so; but l didn't know what there was
to forgive.
/ was wiser before that birthday
was half over, though the knowledge
seemed the greatest calamity of my
life.
Something had gone wrong at the
bank" Harry told me. He broke the
bitter news to me as gently as he
could, and with grave pale face.
''Six hundred pounds, which had been
entrusted to Tom to deliver some.
where several weeks ago, had not
been accounted for; and-there were
arrorS too in his accounts